Stuart Hall jailed for 15 months for sex assaults

The disgraced former BBC presenter Stuart Hall has been jailed for 15 months
for a 20-year reign of sexual abuse against young girls.

The trial judge has said he has not made up his mind whether to jail 83-year-old Stuart HallPhoto: AFP/Getty Images

By Nick Britten

2:45PM BST 17 Jun 2013

Hall, 83, sat motionless in the dock as a judge said that he had abused his position of trust against his victims, which were as young as nine. He is likely to be free in five months.

He refused to give Hall extra time off for his guilty plea, adding that an “ill advised” statement he made in February that the allegations against him were “spurious” and “pernicious” had only added to his victims’ trauma.

Several of his victims were in court as Hall listened to proceedings wearing headphones.

Judge Anthony Russell QC said that whilst Hall was known to the public for his "genial personality" but there was "a darker side" to him.

He added that he had abused his celebrity status to take advantage of his victims, nearly all of whom reported what he had done to an adult, but no further action was taken at the time.

Judge Russell said: “Those who admired you for these qualities and the general public now know that there is a darker side to you, one hidden from the public view until now - and a side which you were able to conceal taking advantage of your status as a well-liked celebrity.

“Several of these cases reveal an abuse of power by you because your status gave you an influence and standing which you abused.”

Hall, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, was arrested in December after one of his victims told her husband that he had fondled her breasts when, as a 17-year-old, she worked for the Blackpool Gazette in 1974.

Two other women also reported him, and the publicity about the case encouraged more victims to come forward.

In all, he admitted crimes against 13 victims between 1967-85.

A charge of rape, which he denied, will lie on file.

Hall is now facing being force to pay out tens of thousands of pounds in compensation to his victims.

Alan Collins, from their law firm Pannone, said his victims were pleased they had been vindicated.

He said: “I have spoken to a number of them already and they all feel vindicated that their allegations of abuse have been proven by Hall’s admission of guilt.

"He had previously denied allegations and accused his victims of lying. This was hurtful, distressing and insulting for them.

"We should remember that the youngest of this man’s victims was just nine years old and a custodial sentence is no more than he deserves. We will now be advising our clients as to further legal action in the civil courts.”